Broad delighted with England's best

Stuart Broad, England's captain, has said the 40-run win over New Zealand in Auckland was the team's best performance under his leadership. Broad claimed his first four-wicket haul in international T20 and England recorded their highest total in the format, hitting 15 sixes along the way, to set up a comprehensive win and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Asked if it was the most accomplished England display he could remember, Broad said: "Certainly that I've captained. Looking back to the 2010 World Twenty20, which we won, we were fantastic throughout that tournament, but to go and get a record score of 214, that's the exciting thing with this team, to have that mindset to go and get such a high score.

"A lot of the time you think 170, 180 is a good score. To go and get such a high score and defend it comprehensively, we're delighted with that."

Broad's 4 for 24 helped him go past Graeme Swann to become England's leading wicket-taker in T20s with 52. The bowlers adjusted well to the challenge of the short straight boundaries at Eden Park and Broad said that the success of the batsmen after being sent in had helped determine England's strategy.

"The freedom the guys played with the bat set us up brilliantly today," Broad said. "To lose the toss and then go and set our record score as an England batting line-up is fantastic. I think we learned a lot from batting on it first, knowing what we could bang out a heavy length, back of a length, and take the pace off to get the guys hitting to the bigger boundaries. It was probably not a bad toss to lose."

Brendon McCullum, New Zealand's captain, conceded after the game that his side would have to improve ahead of the second T20 in Hamilton on Tuesday. New Zealand missed several chances in the field, setting the tone for a heavy defeat, their sixth in seven T20 internationals against England.

"We were outplayed today by a far better team on the day," McCullum said. "We missed our basics: batting, bowling, in the field. We've got another game in a few days and we need to make sure we rectify those errors. It was a really poor day in the field. I think we've dropped five catches. You just can't afford to that, not in any format of the game, let alone T20. Credit goes to England for the way they played. We've just got to bounce back from this."

@TheBigBoodha on (February 10, 2013, 12:14 GMT), I'm not sure whether you're trying to be clever or asking a genuine question but, so far this tour, Broad has looked far more his old self. His pace is back up to close to his best and he has been more accurate and generally more effective. It's early days but he seems to be back on the right track after apparently carrying some injuries for a while. He's said that his heel condition is chronic though, so how that may affect him in the medium to long term is anyone's guess but he seems OK in the short term.

jmcilhinney
on February 11, 2013, 0:34 GMT

@AKS286 on (February 10, 2013, 15:56 GMT), Broad bowled well in UAE. Explain that. Topley is too young right now. Noone wants him to go the way of Pat Cummins. Bresnan is a bowler who can bat a bit.

bobbo2
on February 10, 2013, 17:49 GMT

Why did NZ bowl first on a road against a strong batting line up? I just don't get it. If we got a good score on a road with tiny boundaries at least we could have put some pressure on. I thought that was a massive mistake before the game started. You only bowl first if there is something in it for the bowlers, especially given England's batting is their strength.

on February 10, 2013, 16:51 GMT

Not bad for a team of players whom (realistically) only one is likely to play in a test match. Braod the only player for the tests, and I wouldn't give that a better than 75% chance as he is coming back from injury. England are second in the table in every format of the game and have been there or therabouts (or higher) consistently for several years. @Greg Ranger - If people don't think that's at least moderately impressive, then that's up to them. I'm more than happy with it, as are the vast majority of England fans, and that's what matters.

AKS286
on February 10, 2013, 15:56 GMT

broad is inconsistent and bowls goods only on fast pitches (sometimes). dernbach and patel are in the squad hats off for selectors. i think topley must replace dernbach. and onions to broad. topley, anderson, finn, onions is the good combination. i still don't understand bresnan's role; he is an all rounder or third seamer?

TheBigBoodha
on February 10, 2013, 12:14 GMT

So is Broad bowling in the 130s now? Last few times I saw him he was as flat as the Nullabor Plane, and half his deliveries were below 130 - in tests!. Looked to have completely lost it, to be honest.

SDHM
on February 10, 2013, 10:42 GMT

Still think the bowling could be better - Dernbach had improved over his showings in India but his last over was a farce (if highly entertaining!) and Finn isn't looking himself; as has been suggested he appears to be attempting to iron out the problems that are leading to him kicking the stumps over and it's playing on his mind I reckon. Might be worth replacing Dernbach with Swann when he comes back in & playing both him & Tredwell perhaps? Leaves you short of options at the death that way though. KP should also come back in for Lumb, although he's looking less skittish than Hales at the moment, as I keep pointing out - Hales looks like a man worrying about his place despite having been in fantastic form, just needs to calm down and focus on batting like he has been. He & KP would make an excellent opening partnership.

jmcilhinney
on February 10, 2013, 3:59 GMT

@Greg Ranger on (February 9, 2013, 22:46 GMT), of course someone had to make a comment like this. What exactly would you expect Broad to say? Do you think that he would come out and say "T20s are pointless so this game doesn't matter and we bowled rubbish but NZ were even more rubbish so we shouldn't be happy at all with this win"? Do you think any captain of any side around the world would not have said after that game that they were pleased with their team's performance?

RodStark
on February 10, 2013, 0:41 GMT

I notice that Broad was the only member of this team who's likely to be in the test team. I rather like the idea of separate squads, and it seems we're heading in that direction without ever specifically planning to do so. We can always bring in players like KP and Swann for important events like the Championship, but the current T20 team is not bad as it is.

landl47
on February 9, 2013, 23:00 GMT

As far as I'm concerned, the size of the score or even the result didn't much matter. I thought England played good, smart cricket and I was pleased with Broad's own performance. Bairstow looked good, too. I'm not convinced by Lumb and when KP returns, Lumb's the one to go as far as I'm concerned.

As for Dernbach- can you imagine how the team would have felt if the game had been close and he conceded 15 runs, including a no-ball that cost 5 runs, in the final over? It doesn't bear thinking about.

jmcilhinney
on February 11, 2013, 0:36 GMT

@TheBigBoodha on (February 10, 2013, 12:14 GMT), I'm not sure whether you're trying to be clever or asking a genuine question but, so far this tour, Broad has looked far more his old self. His pace is back up to close to his best and he has been more accurate and generally more effective. It's early days but he seems to be back on the right track after apparently carrying some injuries for a while. He's said that his heel condition is chronic though, so how that may affect him in the medium to long term is anyone's guess but he seems OK in the short term.

jmcilhinney
on February 11, 2013, 0:34 GMT

@AKS286 on (February 10, 2013, 15:56 GMT), Broad bowled well in UAE. Explain that. Topley is too young right now. Noone wants him to go the way of Pat Cummins. Bresnan is a bowler who can bat a bit.

bobbo2
on February 10, 2013, 17:49 GMT

Why did NZ bowl first on a road against a strong batting line up? I just don't get it. If we got a good score on a road with tiny boundaries at least we could have put some pressure on. I thought that was a massive mistake before the game started. You only bowl first if there is something in it for the bowlers, especially given England's batting is their strength.

on February 10, 2013, 16:51 GMT

Not bad for a team of players whom (realistically) only one is likely to play in a test match. Braod the only player for the tests, and I wouldn't give that a better than 75% chance as he is coming back from injury. England are second in the table in every format of the game and have been there or therabouts (or higher) consistently for several years. @Greg Ranger - If people don't think that's at least moderately impressive, then that's up to them. I'm more than happy with it, as are the vast majority of England fans, and that's what matters.

AKS286
on February 10, 2013, 15:56 GMT

broad is inconsistent and bowls goods only on fast pitches (sometimes). dernbach and patel are in the squad hats off for selectors. i think topley must replace dernbach. and onions to broad. topley, anderson, finn, onions is the good combination. i still don't understand bresnan's role; he is an all rounder or third seamer?

TheBigBoodha
on February 10, 2013, 12:14 GMT

So is Broad bowling in the 130s now? Last few times I saw him he was as flat as the Nullabor Plane, and half his deliveries were below 130 - in tests!. Looked to have completely lost it, to be honest.

SDHM
on February 10, 2013, 10:42 GMT

Still think the bowling could be better - Dernbach had improved over his showings in India but his last over was a farce (if highly entertaining!) and Finn isn't looking himself; as has been suggested he appears to be attempting to iron out the problems that are leading to him kicking the stumps over and it's playing on his mind I reckon. Might be worth replacing Dernbach with Swann when he comes back in & playing both him & Tredwell perhaps? Leaves you short of options at the death that way though. KP should also come back in for Lumb, although he's looking less skittish than Hales at the moment, as I keep pointing out - Hales looks like a man worrying about his place despite having been in fantastic form, just needs to calm down and focus on batting like he has been. He & KP would make an excellent opening partnership.

jmcilhinney
on February 10, 2013, 3:59 GMT

@Greg Ranger on (February 9, 2013, 22:46 GMT), of course someone had to make a comment like this. What exactly would you expect Broad to say? Do you think that he would come out and say "T20s are pointless so this game doesn't matter and we bowled rubbish but NZ were even more rubbish so we shouldn't be happy at all with this win"? Do you think any captain of any side around the world would not have said after that game that they were pleased with their team's performance?

RodStark
on February 10, 2013, 0:41 GMT

I notice that Broad was the only member of this team who's likely to be in the test team. I rather like the idea of separate squads, and it seems we're heading in that direction without ever specifically planning to do so. We can always bring in players like KP and Swann for important events like the Championship, but the current T20 team is not bad as it is.

landl47
on February 9, 2013, 23:00 GMT

As far as I'm concerned, the size of the score or even the result didn't much matter. I thought England played good, smart cricket and I was pleased with Broad's own performance. Bairstow looked good, too. I'm not convinced by Lumb and when KP returns, Lumb's the one to go as far as I'm concerned.

As for Dernbach- can you imagine how the team would have felt if the game had been close and he conceded 15 runs, including a no-ball that cost 5 runs, in the final over? It doesn't bear thinking about.

on February 9, 2013, 22:46 GMT

Stuart Broad fancy talking yourself up because of this performance! Give me a break, NZ cricket is a complete shambles at the minute. Sure they beat the SAFFERS in a meaningless ODI series, but apart from Ross TAYLOR, maybe GUPTILL who have England got to beat?? NZ's bowling in the first T20 was absolutely deplorable, crap really. And Englands bowling was nothing to write about, what did they concede 170 odd, hardly a great bowling performance against a substandard batting lineup. I hope Broad, Vaughan and co keep talking themselves up. No one else in World cricket is!

Front-Foot-Lunge
on February 9, 2013, 21:58 GMT

A huge win for England. They took New Zealand to pieces and were the far better team. Dernbach should be gone for the next one, Woakes will be potent on NZ pitches.

jmcilhinney
on February 9, 2013, 15:06 GMT

Five drops sounds bad but one of those was very difficult and another was quite tricky, with the fielder likely to take the ball over the boundary rope if he caught it. One was only mildly difficult though and two were easy. I'm not sure that taking those catches would have changed the result but it probably wouldn't have hurt, unless Jos Buttler able to really go nuts by getting in earlier. Regardless, England were the better team on the day. There big score was helped by the short straight boundaries and the fact that the NZ bowling was probably too full for those boundaries but you can only play the game you're playing and they played it well. Great to see the top order all hitting the ball well.

No featured comments at the moment.

jmcilhinney
on February 9, 2013, 15:06 GMT

Five drops sounds bad but one of those was very difficult and another was quite tricky, with the fielder likely to take the ball over the boundary rope if he caught it. One was only mildly difficult though and two were easy. I'm not sure that taking those catches would have changed the result but it probably wouldn't have hurt, unless Jos Buttler able to really go nuts by getting in earlier. Regardless, England were the better team on the day. There big score was helped by the short straight boundaries and the fact that the NZ bowling was probably too full for those boundaries but you can only play the game you're playing and they played it well. Great to see the top order all hitting the ball well.

Front-Foot-Lunge
on February 9, 2013, 21:58 GMT

A huge win for England. They took New Zealand to pieces and were the far better team. Dernbach should be gone for the next one, Woakes will be potent on NZ pitches.

on February 9, 2013, 22:46 GMT

Stuart Broad fancy talking yourself up because of this performance! Give me a break, NZ cricket is a complete shambles at the minute. Sure they beat the SAFFERS in a meaningless ODI series, but apart from Ross TAYLOR, maybe GUPTILL who have England got to beat?? NZ's bowling in the first T20 was absolutely deplorable, crap really. And Englands bowling was nothing to write about, what did they concede 170 odd, hardly a great bowling performance against a substandard batting lineup. I hope Broad, Vaughan and co keep talking themselves up. No one else in World cricket is!

landl47
on February 9, 2013, 23:00 GMT

As far as I'm concerned, the size of the score or even the result didn't much matter. I thought England played good, smart cricket and I was pleased with Broad's own performance. Bairstow looked good, too. I'm not convinced by Lumb and when KP returns, Lumb's the one to go as far as I'm concerned.

As for Dernbach- can you imagine how the team would have felt if the game had been close and he conceded 15 runs, including a no-ball that cost 5 runs, in the final over? It doesn't bear thinking about.

RodStark
on February 10, 2013, 0:41 GMT

I notice that Broad was the only member of this team who's likely to be in the test team. I rather like the idea of separate squads, and it seems we're heading in that direction without ever specifically planning to do so. We can always bring in players like KP and Swann for important events like the Championship, but the current T20 team is not bad as it is.

jmcilhinney
on February 10, 2013, 3:59 GMT

@Greg Ranger on (February 9, 2013, 22:46 GMT), of course someone had to make a comment like this. What exactly would you expect Broad to say? Do you think that he would come out and say "T20s are pointless so this game doesn't matter and we bowled rubbish but NZ were even more rubbish so we shouldn't be happy at all with this win"? Do you think any captain of any side around the world would not have said after that game that they were pleased with their team's performance?

SDHM
on February 10, 2013, 10:42 GMT

Still think the bowling could be better - Dernbach had improved over his showings in India but his last over was a farce (if highly entertaining!) and Finn isn't looking himself; as has been suggested he appears to be attempting to iron out the problems that are leading to him kicking the stumps over and it's playing on his mind I reckon. Might be worth replacing Dernbach with Swann when he comes back in & playing both him & Tredwell perhaps? Leaves you short of options at the death that way though. KP should also come back in for Lumb, although he's looking less skittish than Hales at the moment, as I keep pointing out - Hales looks like a man worrying about his place despite having been in fantastic form, just needs to calm down and focus on batting like he has been. He & KP would make an excellent opening partnership.

TheBigBoodha
on February 10, 2013, 12:14 GMT

So is Broad bowling in the 130s now? Last few times I saw him he was as flat as the Nullabor Plane, and half his deliveries were below 130 - in tests!. Looked to have completely lost it, to be honest.

AKS286
on February 10, 2013, 15:56 GMT

broad is inconsistent and bowls goods only on fast pitches (sometimes). dernbach and patel are in the squad hats off for selectors. i think topley must replace dernbach. and onions to broad. topley, anderson, finn, onions is the good combination. i still don't understand bresnan's role; he is an all rounder or third seamer?

on February 10, 2013, 16:51 GMT

Not bad for a team of players whom (realistically) only one is likely to play in a test match. Braod the only player for the tests, and I wouldn't give that a better than 75% chance as he is coming back from injury. England are second in the table in every format of the game and have been there or therabouts (or higher) consistently for several years. @Greg Ranger - If people don't think that's at least moderately impressive, then that's up to them. I'm more than happy with it, as are the vast majority of England fans, and that's what matters.